


Lending Support

by enigmaticblue



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-04
Updated: 2011-04-04
Packaged: 2017-10-17 14:27:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/177821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James Watson had advised a number of world leaders throughout his unnaturally long life, but this meeting felt even more important.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lending Support

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the “James Watson” prompt for sanctuary_bingo. Sort of fits with my story “Snapshots from the Resistance” although they both stand alone. For the record, the Bishop of Chichester, George Bell, was a real person. He was friends with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who used their connection to pass inside information along to Bell and from there, the rest of British high command. Bell also worked with German refugees during the war.

James Watson sighed as he read the paper. As depressing as the day’s stories were, he had sources that suggested actual conditions inside Germany were far worse.

 

Germany was poised to invade Poland now, however. James knew it was only a matter of time; the only question was whether England would honor its treaty.

 

“Is Germany rattling its sabers still?” Helen asked quietly.

 

James folded the paper. “Of course. That’s all Germany is doing these days.”

 

“And you believe the Germans will make the first move?”

 

“Poland certainly won’t,” James replied. “Why would they risk a war?”

 

“They wouldn’t.” Helen sighed. “This Bishop Bell has information?”

 

“A German pastor has passed along firsthand accounts of the situation,” James said. “I don’t know how much either of them know about abnormals, but I think it’s safe to say that if Hitler is that concerned with racial purity, he’ll either exterminate abnormals or use them for his own ends.”

 

Helen hummed under her breath in agreement. “I believe you’re correct.”

 

James couldn’t resist teasing her a bit. “You might want to say that a bit louder.”

 

He could see that she was suppressing a smile by the way her lips twitched. “Let’s see what this bishop has to say. You’re still going to see the prime minister next week?” Helen asked.

 

“Of course. I assume that you’re still planning to leave in two days.”

 

“We both know war is coming to Europe, James. We must make contacts where we can. America may be able to offer protection and resources we cannot find in England.”

 

“And it’s more than time we expand our network,” James acknowledged. “I agree, Helen. It makes sense for you to go. Chamberlain is more likely to listen to me.”

 

Helen snorted. “ _Men_ are more likely to listen to you. Perhaps someday my sex will not determine how much weight my opinions are given.”

 

James suppressed a smile. It was an old complaint coming from Helen, one he sympathized with, but he eased her way as much as he could. He’d learned to simply listen when Helen complained about the restrictions placed upon her.

 

“All opinions of a person’s intelligence should be made on an individual basis, I agree,” James replied. Any further reply he might have made was interrupted by his housekeeper’s knock on the open door. “Yes, Mrs. Hart?”

 

“The Bishop of Chichester is here to see you, doctor,” she said.

 

“Thank you. Show him in, please,” James ordered.

 

The man who entered the room was middle-aged, with a pleasant face. He smiled as he held out a hand. “Dr. Watson. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

 

“And you,” James said. “This is my partner, Dr. Helen Magnus.”

 

“It’s a pleasure, Dr. Magnus,” Bell said. He didn’t blink at Helen’s title, and he looked at both of them as he spoke. “I believe I’ve run through the gamut of advisors to the prime minister.”

 

“You said you had inside information regarding the current situation in Germany,” James prompted.

 

Bell nodded. “Of course.” He paused as Mrs. Hart entered the room with a tea tray.

 

“I’ll pour,” Helen inserted. “Thank you, Mrs. Hart.”

 

When the door had closed behind her, Bell began speaking again. “My contact within Germany has relatives at the highest levels of government, and he has access to information not readily available.”

 

Helen nodded. “Whatever information you’re able to share, we’d like to hear.”

 

“I’m aware of your work, Dr. Magnus,” Bell said quietly. “I’ve made careful inquiries as to whether abnormals are being affected. I can tell you that those the Nazis deem worthless are being systematically euthanized. There are rumors that the Nazis have begun medical experimentation, as well.”

 

“You believe that Hitler is targeting abnormals,” James suggested.

 

“If an abnormal does not help him in some way, he’ll dispose of him or her. The Nazis are obsessed with racial purity. Unless one of your abnormals is a superhuman Aryan, or is otherwise useful, they will be killed.”

 

James could feel Helen growing steadily tenser beside him as Bell delivered the reports the bishop had received from his friend in Germany. James and Helen had dedicated their lives to protect those who had no one else to speak for them, and Hitler was bent on destroying everything for which they stood.

 

Bell was thorough and he had a great deal of information to share. By the time he’d finished, James felt numb, and he suspected that Helen was in a similar situation.

 

“Thank you both for agreeing to see me,” Bell said as he rose. “I hope my information will do some good.”

 

“I’m sure it shall.” James walked him to the front door, leaving Helen in the study. “Any other information you can provide will be welcome, bishop. Please do not hesitate to contact either of us in the future.”

 

Bell shook his hand. “Of course. Whatever information I have is yours. I’ll ask my contact to be on alert for any reports of movement against abnormals.”

 

“You have our thanks,” James replied. “We’ll see you again soon.”

 

Helen was still staring at the reports when James walked back to the study. “You will need to take this information to the prime minister,” she said quietly. “I’d go as well, but he’s more likely to listen to you.”

 

James heard a touch of bitterness in her voice, and he couldn’t blame her. “He is,” James said neutrally. “Although it’s far more likely that he won’t listen to anyone at all. Chamberlain believed he bought peace last year.”

 

“Peace at any price,” Helen murmured. “I’d rather fight.”

 

James smiled. “You would, and you’d likely clean the floor with them, too.”

 

“Well, perhaps not the _entire_ German army,” she demurred.

 

James chuckled. “I still wouldn’t bet against you.”

 

“Thank you.” Helen took a breath. “I don’t think I can postpone my trip. I don’t think I should.”

 

“No,” James agreed. “The contacts you make in America will be important, and you’ve always got on better with Nikola.”

 

“That’s because Nikola frequently tries to shock you, and you allow yourself to be shocked.”

 

James hummed a little under his breath. “I like Nikola just fine—in small doses.”

 

Helen smiled, but then her face grew serious. “You know, the Prime Minister will have lost a great deal of face when Germany invades Poland, and he probably will want to marshal his forces. We can put the Sanctuary at the government’s disposal.”

 

“I had thought of that.” James gave her a look. “I wasn’t sure you’d be entirely willing given what happened the last time we agreed to do a job for the government.”

 

Helen shook her head. “Do we have any other choice?”

 

James sighed. “No, I don’t believe we do.”

 

~~~~~

 

James had been invited to private meetings with the prime minister before, of course. He and Helen had been around long enough to become fixtures, the knowledge of the Sanctuary passed from one leader to the next. On occasion, they would be asked to perform some task, and they would usually comply, because it behooved them to do so.

 

He honestly didn’t mind working in the shadows; he had a great deal more freedom now than he’d had in the past. Perhaps he and Helen were not above the law, but they generally operated outside of it.

 

James stood in the foyer of 10 Downing Street, cataloging all the small changes that had been made since he was here last. The mental exercise calmed him; he had no idea how Chamberlain would receive him. He’d met the man only once before, and then only briefly. By all reports, Chamberlain was a man who would prefer to expend his energy on domestic matters, and he’d had some success.

 

But isolationism was no longer a viable strategy; James greatly feared that Hitler would swallow the entire world if given half a chance.

 

“The prime minister will see you now,” the butler called, and James followed him back to a private parlor.

 

Chamberlain stood at the window, his back stiff and head bowed.

 

“Thank you for seeing me,” James said once they were alone. “I know how busy you must be.”

 

Chamberlain glanced over his shoulder. “You’ve come to plead your case, I suppose. And upon which side do you fall? Shall I go to war, or attempt to broker peace once again?”

 

“Avoiding war is no longer a possibility, sir,” James replied carefully. “I’m sure you’re aware of Hitler’s intentions.”

 

Chamberlain snorted in disgust. “I have his signed promise.”

 

“The promises of madmen are worth very little.”

 

“So I’ve been told, and so we’ve seen.” Chamberlain turned to face him fully. “We were not ready for war a year ago. We aren’t ready now, either. We haven’t the money for it, and we’ve barely the men.”

 

James sympathized but just because they weren’t ready for war didn’t mean they weren’t going to be in the thick of it. “You know my qualifications, and you have all our resources at your disposal.”

 

“That’s something, at least,” Chamberlain muttered and turned back to the window.

 

They stood in stony silence. James had learned patience over the last few years; it helped knowing that he and Helen would likely be around even as the world changed around them, as leaders rose to power, or were ousted.

 

Fortunes changed, the times changed, but he and Helen and Nikola held fast.

 

James took in the twitch of Chamberlain’s right hand, the tense set of his shoulders, and chose his next words carefully. “The nation stood behind you when you brokered peace, and with good reason, but Hitler has proven himself false. Should we do the same, having made a promise to Poland?”

 

“No, of course not,” Chamberlain barked. “That damn Bonnet wants to buy time, you know, and the Cabinet is calling for an official ultimatum. If we can give the French time…”

 

“If you’ll forgive me for saying so, you cannot wait for the French in this matter,” James replied. “They’ve had months to prepare; Germany has made no secret of its preparations. The world must see that England is prepared to honor her agreements; otherwise, we will lose our allies.”

 

“We may lose the French if we barrel ahead.”

 

James thought that perhaps they’d be better off without the French if that were the case, but he said only, “France is someone else’s problem.”

 

“That’s what Churchill said,” Chamberlain replied.

 

“I wanted to be sure you knew you could count on us,” James said, knowing when it was time to withdraw. “We can at least provide intelligence that no one else may be able to collect, and Dr. Magnus and I have had a long time to form relationships. We have friends in Germany and Poland who are even now sending what information they can collect.”

 

Chamberlain faced him again. “England appreciates your service, Dr. Watson. Thank you for your time.”

 

James knew he’d been dismissed, but he couldn’t resist adding, “Hitler is like an infection, sir. At a certain point, treatment becomes useless, and you’ve lost the patient. Now is the time to act.”

 

He left then, not knowing whether his words would do any good. He hoped he’d made an impact, but only time would tell.

 

James just hoped that Helen would have more luck in America than he seemed to be having at home.


End file.
